Manchester United have reportedly already decided on where Diego Leon will be heading on loan in January as he looks to break into first-team European football.
Diego León arrived at Manchester United from Cerro Porteño in the summer and has already made a strong impression within the Academy ranks.
His performances have stood out, particularly in United’s emphatic 4–1 victory over Tottenham, where he collected possession, drove forward through midfield, and showed calm finishing to score.
León embodies the profile United look for in recruitment. He brings youthful energy, athleticism, and a fearless approach that reflects the spirit seen across the squad’s recent upturn in form.
With opportunities in Rúben Amorim’s first team currently limited, the club are now exploring potential loan options to support the 18-year-old’s development next month.
Leon set to join Nice on loan
United have seen some of their brightest Academy stars thriving out on loan this season, with Harry Amass at Sheffield Wednesday and Radek Vitek at Bristol City the standouts. Toby Collyer is doing well at West Brom, but injuries have kept him from playing consistent football.
According to reports from South America last week, United have picked Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, also owned by United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, as the teen’s main option for a January loan.
This has since been backed up by Centre Devils, where it’s claimed that the loan move is now expected to go through, with the club having used their connections to secure the transfer smoothly.
Leon is reportedly set to be involved with Nice’s first team rather than the Academy, which will help him grow his already impressive physical profile to become more accustomed to European football.
Amid the young star’s hopes of heading to the World Cup with Paraguay this summer, a successful second half of the season would give him a signifiacnt boost in his chances of making the squad.
Avoiding the Championship is the right move
United’s path of sending top Academy talents to the Championship has proved fruitful in the last few seasons. As mentioned above, Amass and Vitek are thriving in the league, while Amad’s loan move at Sunderland during 2022/23 was nothing short of brilliant.
However, while Amad, Amass, and Vitek are much more accustomed to life in England, Leon only moved from Paraguay to Manchester in July, which could make a move to the Championship in January a little more challenging.
Having Leon head to France instead may be a much better solution. Ligue 1 is known as the second-most physical league in Europe, behind only the Premier League, so having Leon at Nice would allow him to continue his physical development in a more comfortable environment.
At the same time, there are more Spanish-speaking players on the continent than in the Championship, so the possible language barrier that Leon may have faced in England’s second tier will be less prevalent in France.
United are in desperate need of better quality and consistency at left wing-back next season, and if both Amass and Leon can thrive on loan, they have a fantastic chance of breaking into Amorim’s squad next season.
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